66327 - Chemistry of Natural Organic Substances

Learning outcomes

The course will give competencies in the main classes of natural products, their occurrence, structure, biosynthesis, properties, and in natural product chemistry. The course will give a holistic understanding of the use of natural products as starting materials for bioactive products.

After successful completion of this course, students should be able to understand the issues of natural product chemistry, recognize structure and molecular classification of a representative number of compounds belonging to the main classes of natural products, know the relevance of selected natural compounds, their biogenesis, and some chemical elaboration.

Course contents

This course is intended to provide an overview in the field of natural substance chemistry with emphasis on the classes of natural substances listed below. Of each class reference will be made to the sources from which they are derived, their structure, biogenesis, properties and some chemical processing.

Prerequisites: The student entering this teaching must have a good background in organic chemistry, both with regard to functional groups and reactivity . He/she also knows the main classes of natural organic substances (amino acids, sugars and lipids) covered in the basic courses in Organic Chemistry, Bio-Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry.

Module I. Lecturer Demetra Giuri

Extraction methods: steam distillation, soxhlet, enfleurage and supercritical CO2.

Alkaloids: Classification, structure, properties, reactions.

Carbohydrates: classification, properties, reactions, mention of corresponding natural polymers.

Amino acids and proteins: classification, properties, structures, reactions, hint on corresponding natural polymers.



Module 2. Lecturer Riccardo Amorati

Terpenes: structures, biosynthesis, essential oils

Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, cardiolipins, cholesterol and stereoid hormones, biological membranes, liposomes.

Oxidation of lipids and terpenes: Mechanisms and products.

Natural phenolics: tyrosine, melanin, phenylpropanoids, lignin, flavonoids

Phenolic antioxidants: mechanisms and applications.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture Notes

Scientific papers from the current literature

Chemistry, Biosynthesis and Bioactivities of Natural products -P.M. Dewick

Introduction to Natural products Chemistry - Xu,Ye, Zhao, CRC Press

Chemistry of Natural Products , N.R. Krishnaswamy, CRC Press

Bioactive Natural Products - Colegate, Molyneaux, CRC Press

Teaching methods

Lessons consist in oral sessions that include presentations of examples by current literature and discussions.

An active student participation to the discussion session is strongly recommended to develop problem solving skills.

Assessment methods

Viva voce examination (English or Italian on request) on the course topics.

Excellent degree (28-30) will be acquired with a good assessment  obtained with a very good knowledge of the contents of the course , a good usage of technical language, and high performance in reasoning and application of the competences.

Fairly good assessments (24-27) could be obtained with a good knowledge of the contents, an appropriate usage of technical language, but with a rote-learning.

Limited abilities in reasoning and application  of the contents,  a limited technical language, and a sufficient knowledge of contents will give a sufficient assessment (18-23)

Inadequate knowledge of contents and/or technical language and/or insufficiency in preliminary knowledge in organic chemistry will give a negative assessment.

Teaching tools

Oral lectures and few computer presentations that could be retrived on the web platform Virtuale upon registration.
Take notes during the lectures is mandatory.

Office hours

See the website of Demetra Giuri

See the website of Riccardo Amorati